In the opening ODI World Cup 2023 encounter between India and Australia, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc made a remarkable impact by dismissing Ishan Kishan for a golden duck in the very first over of the innings. This achievement catapulted him to a historic milestone, as he became the fastest bowler to claim 50 wickets in ODI World Cup history in terms of balls bowled.
The previous record was held by Sri Lanka’s legendary bowler, Lasith Malinga, who took 1,187 deliveries to reach this milestone. In contrast, Australia’s Starc accomplished the feat in a mere 941 balls. What’s more, he also clinched the title of the fastest to 50 World Cup wickets in terms of matches played, achieving this remarkable milestone in his 19th World Cup appearance.
Starc’s exceptional performance didn’t stop there. He went on to surpass Chaminda Vaas’ impressive tally, becoming the fifth bowler in the history of the ODI World Cup to amass 50 or more wickets. Leading this elite list is Australia’s Glenn McGrath with an astounding 71 wickets, followed by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan with 68 wickets, Lasith Malinga with 56 wickets, and Wasim Akram with 55 wickets.
The moment of Starc’s record-breaking wicket came when he bowled a full and wide delivery outside off stump. Ishan Kishan, attempting to chase the ball, fell victim to the swing as he slashed his bat hard, resulting in a thick outside edge that carried to slip fielder Cameron Green.
However, it wasn’t just Starc who left a mark on the game. From the other end, Josh Hazlewood made his presence felt by striking twice in his very first over, claiming the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.
This unfortunate situation marked the second time in ODI World Cup history that Indian openers had departed without scoring a single run. The early dismissals left India reeling at 2/3 in just the second over of the match.
Mitchell Starc’s remarkable achievement and Australia’s early breakthroughs set the stage for an intriguing contest in the ODI World Cup 2023, promising a thrilling tournament filled with record-breaking moments and intense competition.